GOOD NEWS for ALGONQUIN COLLEGE CONFIRMS MP CHERYL GALLANT

June 05, 2009

PEMBROKE, ONTARIO… “It’s good news for Algonquin College in the Upper Ottawa Valley,” confirmed MP Cheryl Gallant, (Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke).  “I am pleased to support the expansion plans of our local college. This is a blue-letter day for the Pembroke campus of Algonquin College and post-secondary education in the upper Ottawa valley.”

“With the recent announcement of 5 million for the Perth campus of Algonquin College from the federal government on top of the earlier announcement of 35 million for the Ottawa campus of the college, Algonquin is prepared to develop its capital budget plans to fund the Pembroke campus expansion.”

“Initially, I was told that the 35 million, which was one of the largest funding announcements for any college in Ontario, was the limit for Algonquin. However, when the College stepped forward with accelerated plans to build in Pembroke if the federal government funded the Perth campus expansion, in addition to the Ottawa campus expansion , in essence getting two for one, I knew the ambitious expansion plans of Algonquin College should be encouraged. As a government member on the federal side, I worked actively with our Minister for the people of Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke when my opinion was sought,” said Cheryl Gallant, MP.

Canada's Economic Action Plan sets out to stimulate the Canadian economy over the next two years and to improve our long-term competitiveness through $12 billion in new infrastructure investment, which includes the $2-billion Knowledge Infrastructure Program that is funding Algonquin College. This new support is the next substantive investment in the Government of Canada's multi-year Science and Technology Strategy, Mobilizing Science and Technology to Canada's Advantage.

This investment is part of the federal government’s two-year, $2-billion plan to repair and expand research and educational facilities at Canadian colleges and universities. The program is helping to provide economic stimulus and promote employment by creating jobs for engineers, architects, tradespeople and technicians. It is also helping to generate the advanced technological infrastructure needed to keep Canada’s colleges and universities at the forefront of scientific advancement.

“There was a real need to expand and modernize our local college. I look forward to the day when the new campus is completed,” concluded Cheryl Gallant, MP.